Curious about studying Global Studies with Human Rights - BA (Hons)at University of Essex? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Colchester Campus
Full Time
Oct 2026
3 Year
How do individuals, communities and governments approach human rights differently across the globe? How do these differences in human rights laws impact relationships between states? How does globalisation affect international relations? Our BA Global Studies with Human Rights course will deepen your knowledge of our increasingly interconnected world, whilst building expertise in human rights. You will develop your confidence to advocate for individual and community rights, social justice, and social change. The defence of human rights is one of the most profound challenges we face across the globe. From asylum seekers, to prisoner welfare and political alignment – we teach you the principles and practices of human rights from a global perspective. You will study topics including, but not limited to: - The promotion and protection of human rights - Society and modern revolutions - Patterns of migration - International development - Lessons from modern history Based in our Interdisciplinary Studies Centre, you will be taught by experts from a range of disciplines across the humanities and social sciences. You will also be taught by academics from our School of Law and Human Rights. At Essex we specialise in business law, public law, criminal justice, health law, law and technology, socio-legal studies and human rights law.
What are human rights? How do we protect them? And what challenges do we face when promoting human rights on an international level? Discover the fundamental principles and practices, including topics related to international law and ethics, which underpin the protection and promotion of our human rights.
The world does not have disciplines; it has problems. What's more, the most important problems we face - problems like climate change, migration, sustainable economic production, democratic governance, and so on - cannot be solved with the tools of any single discipline. Such problems require collaborative, creative, and interdisciplinary approaches, and this module introduces students to this type of interdisciplinary thinking. Students will learn how to approach complex problems by drawing on theories and methods from multiple disciplines, learning how to think flexibly and work with others to find creative solutions to real-world problems.
This interdisciplinary module explores the rich diversity of ways of knowing the world. We examine different frameworks of knowing that have characterised and shaped human societies historically and today.
This course introduces key academic, professional and personal skills to support a successful transition beyond undergraduate study. Students develop confidence in critical thinking, communication, teamwork and self reflection while exploring future study and career options.
This module builds on the foundations laid in the first year and introduces students to the institutions that uphold and enforce international human rights standards, as well as the multidisciplinary nature of Human Rights and Social Justice.
How have contemporary societies been shaped by the legacies of the Enlightenment, colonialism, and the different phases of capitalism? This interdisciplinary module helps you to critically understand some of the key forces and processes that have shaped the challenges we face in the 20th and 21st century. It is divided into three broad themes; Empire, The Self, and Nature. We’ll be examining processes of ‘othering’ that were intrinsic to colonialism; changing conceptions of the self; as well as both the causes of and potential solutions to the ecological crisis we are confronting today. The module is co-taught by academics from Art History, ISC, LiFTs, Philosophy, Psychoanalytic Studies and Sociology. This module has been designed to enable students to integrate their subject knowledge with an understanding of sustainable development, acquiring the skills and competencies essential for addressing the urgent sustainability challenges of the 21st century.
Did you know that the not-for-profit sector is expanding fast in the UK, and offers meaningful jobs that can contribute to positive social change and ecological sustainability? This module introduces you to this sector and the concept and practice of social entrepreneurship using case studies of initiatives that have helped local communities, the disadvantaged and the environment. It also allows you to develop your skills and use your creativity and imagination to design your own project or enterprise. This module has been designed to enable students to integrate their subject knowledge with an understanding of environmental development, acquiring the skills and competencies essential for addressing the urgent sustainability challenges of the 21st century.
How important are human rights today? What role do they play in contemporary society? And can you analyse their impact on topics like freedom of expression or global justice? Learn to identify and evaluate human rights issues in range of real-life situations, within a regional, national and international context.
Access to water is one of the most urgent global challenges facing us today. Vital for health and well-being, as well as integral to indigenous cultures and industrial processes, water is a threatened commons and contested commodity. In this module, we will explore global and local case studies that highlight challenges of scarcity, contamination, privatization, and climate change, and the cultural importance of bodies of water for diverse communities. We will examine water-related problems, such as economic and urban development, grassroots activism, political conflict, community relations, heritage and public health. This module has been designed to enable students to integrate their subject knowledge with an understanding of sustainable development, acquiring the skills and competencies essential for addressing the urgent sustainability challenges of the 21st century.
Living and accommodation costs (per year, approximately)- 8,776 – 14,995
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